Safety

Service

BNSF plays a vital role in our economy’s supply chain, moving freight across our nation every day. Here we explore how our investments and innovations enable the reliable and efficient delivery of freight.

News & Media

Welcome to the BNSF newsroom. Here, you’ll find news releases, customer notifications and media assets available for use by news organizations. Looking for a media contact within BNSF? Get in touch with us using the Media Contacts list on the left.

BNSF Alumni Association

Suppliers

BNSF purchases material and service items from an extensive list of sources. We seek to acquire quality goods and services at the lowest total cost of ownership by working resourcefully, efficiently, effectively and ethically with both current and prospective suppliers.

Supplier Relationship

Diverse Business Enterprise

We are committed to proactively identify, attract and develop long-term partnerships with certified minority, woman and veteran-owned and small disadvantaged businesses, while fulfilling BNSF Vision and Values.

Customers

Notice!BNSF will be performing system maintenance this Sunday, January 20th, from 7:45 AM until 9:30 AM CST. During this time, all bills sent using Shipping Instructions will not be processed but will be held in queues until maintenance is complete.

Ship with BNSF

From the materials that help create products people use every day to the actual finished products, our consistent and cost-effective service takes products of any size to customers when and where they need them.

No matter what you're shipping, BNSF has a service to meet your needs.

New to Rail or BNSF?

Rail Development

Are you developing a new facility or looking to expand? You can rely on BNSF’s team of experts to help educate you on the benefits of incorporating our rail network into your supply chain. BNSF’s Economic Development team can help guide you through the process of expanding, developing or selecting a site.

In the Community

For more than 160 years, BNSF Railway has been an essential connector – safely and efficiently transporting freight from point A to point B. But we don't just move freight; we touch people and communities along the way. We're proud to tell our story and how we strive to be a trusted partner worthy of your respect.

Hazardous Materials

Economic Impact

U.S. and global economies rely on rail, and BNSF is a vital link in the global supply chain. We enable our customers to participate in a wide range of markets in North America and around the world. Recognizing our contribution to our nation's economy, we work to listen and respond to customers' needs, maintain strong corporate governance, provide value to investors, and strategically invest to keep our rail network strong.

Tribal Relations

BNSF Railway’s first-in-the-industry Tribal Relations program seeks to build and strengthen ties with the many diverse tribal nations on BNSF’s network, and to foster within BNSF a greater cultural understanding of these tribal nations, their rights and governance, cultural resources, and other crucial issues.

Our People

The people who work at BNSF are the ones who drive the railroad to success. BNSF people are from all areas of the country and have a variety of skills. BNSF is focused on keeping the railroad moving forward, meeting customers' needs and serving the communities where our employees live and work.

Awards & Honors

Contact Us

At BNSF, we are committed to providing you the information you need to make informed transportation decisions. If you would like more information on any of the subjects contained in this section, please feel free to contact us.

Train Horn

Train horns save lives. The locomotive engineer has the responsibility and the discretion to sound the horn at specified times, or when a safety hazard is perceived. Too many Americans are killed each year while ignoring signals at grade crossings or while trespassing on railroad tracks. For background information about this problem, please visit the Operation Lifesaver website at www.oli.org.

Federal law requires the train crew when approaching a road crossing to sound the horn at all public crossings for the protection and safety of motorists and pedestrians regardless of whether crossings with gates and lights are present. Only crossings that have met Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) criteria for a Quiet Zone do not require the horn to be blown.

Train crews may also sound their horns when there is a vehicle, person or animal on or near the track and the crew determines it is appropriate to provide warning. Crews may also sound their train horn when there are track or construction workers within 25 feet of a live track, or when gates and lights at the crossing are not functioning properly.

The federal rule governing whistle use requires the train horns to blow at a sound level of at least 96 decibels. However, some horns may blow as loud as 110 decibels. A train crew can be fined by the FRA for not sounding the horn enough. BNSF management and the FRA spot check train crews for compliance with the horn rule without the train crews’ knowledge.

One solution to reduce the use of train horns is for a community to apply for FRA approval for a Quiet Zone. A Quiet Zone is a stretch of track where the railroad is not required to automatically blow the horn at each crossing except in emergencies, such as someone on the track, workers within 25 feet of the track etc. Communities can make a number of investments in additional grade crossing safety at crossings in order to qualify for a Quiet Zone.

Only the FRA can grant a Quiet Zone. The process starts with your community leaders. Community leaders who have questions about BNSF's role in the quiet zone process can e-mail French Thompson BNSF's director, Public Projects. You can also find information in the BNSF Public Projects Manual.

Another way to reduce train horn noise is to close a crossing. When most communities built roads across rail lines, they had the option of building an overpass or underpass over, or under, the track. Most chose the less expensive option, which was to build the road at grade level with the tracks. BNSF has a program to work with communities to close crossings.

Another option is to build more overpasses so that motorists can safely cross over or under the track without regard for when trains operate. That's how the federal highway system was built -- not only does it not have a single traffic light on it, there is also not a single at-grade rail crossing. Trains and motor vehicles safely pass over and under each other without danger of collision or the need to blow a horn.